The commandment of growing the hair of the nazirite: That the nazirite — who is the person who separated himself from wine — is commanded to let his head hair grow for all the days of his naziriteness for God, as it states (Numbers 6:5), “he shall grow the locks of his head.” And the language of Mekhilta (Sifra Zuta on Numbers 6:5) is “‘He shall grow the hair’ is a positive commandment. From where [do I know there is also a] negative commandment? Hence, it teaches to say ‘a blade shall not pass over his head.’”
From the root of the commandment, I have already written an introduction at the beginning of the book that there being something in the world of the Holy One, blessed be He, that combines physicality and intellect — and that is Man — was something fitting and necessary for His praise, blessed be He, to come up properly from His creatures; that with this creature, there would not be lacking any possibilities, which we have in our minds to grasp, from His world, etc., as I wrote there. And there is no doubt that without this reason that obligates our intellect to dwell within the physical, [which is involved with] desire and sin, it would have been fitting for our intellect to stand and serve in front of our Creator and to recognize His honor like one of the “sons of God” that are stationed with Him. However, because of this obligation, it is subjugated to live in physical houses. And since it is subjugated to this, it must occasionally veer from the service of its Creator to tend to the needs of its home where it lives. For a home’s structure and its lumber and its stones cannot stand without a person minding it. If so, as the intention of man’s creation was according to what we have said, whenever the intellect can minimize physical work and focus on the service of its Master, that is good for it; so long as it does not completely ignore the work of the house and destroy it. As this would also be considered a sin for him, as the King wished to have a creature like this. It is like the saying of Rabbi Yose (Taanit 22b), that a person may not afflict himself on a fast day, which Rav Yehudah explained in the name of Rav as stemming from the verse “and man was a living thing” (Genesis 2:7), [which implies that the soul should be allowed to live]. On the [same basis] the wise king stated (Ecclesiastes 7:15), “Do not be overly righteous; do not be overly wise. Why should you be desolate?” And this is the holiness of the nazirite and his loftiness, as he departs from the physical. [About this] Shimon the Righteous said (Nazir 4b), “In all my days [as a priest], I never ate the guilt-offering of an impure nazirite, apart from one man who came to me from the South, who had beautiful eyes and a fine countenance, and his locks were arranged in curls. I said to him, ‘My son, what did you see to destroy this [beautiful] hair?’ He said to me, ‘I was a shepherd for my father in my town, and I went to draw water from the spring, and I looked at my reflection. And my evil inclination quickly rose against me and sought to drive me from the world. I said to my evil inclination, “Wicked one! For what reason are you proud in a world that is not yours, about one who in the future will be maggots and worms. [I swear by] the Temple service that I will shave you for the [sake of] Heaven.’ Immediately, I arose and kissed him on his head, and said to him, ‘My son, may there be more nazirites like you in Israel. With regard to you the verse states (Numbers 6:2), “When either a man or a woman shall clearly utter a vow, the vow of a nazirite, to consecrate himself to the Lord.”’” Therefore, in order to suppress the [evil] inclination, he is commanded to shave his head at the end of the days of his [term]. And he is not permitted to fix it up and to take a little of them, so that his [evil] impulse does not come back against him as [it did] at first. Rather, he has become obligated to shave it all, for there is no doubt that both very long hair and completely shaven heads destroy the appearance of a person.
And do not wrangle [with] me from what they, may their memory be blessed, said (Nazir 19a), “He must bring an atonement offering for himself, for he pained himself by avoiding wine.” For this also works with our explanation. Since I have already said that a person does not have the right to destroy his house and to wreck anything of the building that was built by the First Builder, it is fitting for him to bring atonement for his soul. For perhaps he has overstepped the boundary that obligates him with regard to his body and his soul. As perhaps being a nazirite is overly afflicting to his soul according to his nature and constitution. And all “the ways of God, may He be blessed, are righteous and the just follow them.” And Ramban, may his memory be blessed, wrote in his commentary (Ramban on Numbers 6:11) according to the simple understanding that the reason of the sin-offering that the nazirite brings for atonement [is] that he requires atonement for returning to become impure with the desires of the world. As once this person had had a “spirit of God” upon him and began to become a nazirite to God, it would have been fit to stay that way for his whole life. And there are seventy faces to the Torah.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Nazir 39a) that if the nazirite shaves — whether volitionally or accidentally, or even under duress — behold, this interrupts his count, and he begins to count [another] thirty days; as we hold that a standard nazirite period is thirty days (Nazir 5a), so that he will have a lock. To what do these words apply? If the majority of his head was shaved with a blade or something like a blade, and there is not enough to fold their tops over to their roots from that which remains of [what was shaved]. But if he only shaved the minority of the hair on his head, he does not interrupt his count for this. And so too, he does not interrupt his count by drinking wine, even if he drank [it] for several days. But he does interrupt his number by impurity, as the verse explains.
[Also among the laws is] that which they, may their memory be blessed, said that all substitutes for the term of nazirite are effective — meaning to say, if a person had a speech impediment, or lived in a place where everyone has a speech impediment, and their way is instead of saying nazir, they say nazik, nazich or pazich and he said one of these expressions about himself, such that he said, “I will be a nazik, nazich or pazich,” behold, he is a nazirite. As we do not say that the words of his mouth must be identical to [what is in] his heart, as we do for oaths. Rather, once he has [decided] in his heart to become a nazirite and he says [something by which] it can be understood that [he wants] to be a nazirite — even though these are words that themselves do not [positively identify] him as a nazirite — behold, he is a nazirite. And so [too,] that which they said that [adjunct expressions are effective]; for example, where he says, “I shall be,” as a nazirite passes before him. Or if he says, “I will be beautiful” and holds his hair, behold, he is a nazirite. And so, one who says, “I will be a nazirite from grape seeds only,” or “shaving, or impurity only,” behold, he is a complete nazirite. And one who says, “I will be a nazirite on the condition that I will drink wine,” or “become impure,” or “shave,” behold, he is a nazirite, and all [the prohibitions of a nazirite] are prohibited to him; because [in the case of] one who makes a condition which violates the laws of the Torah, the condition is cancelled. One may request [annulment] on a nazirite vow in the same way that one requests on other vows. A father may make a nazirite oath for his son up until age thirteen, but the mother may not, and this thing is a tradition. Gentiles are not subject to [becoming a] nazirite, though women and slaves are. A husband or father may annul the nazirite vow of his wife or daughter like other vows, as may a master force his slave to drink wine or become impure. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Naziriteship 1.)
This commandment, that anyone who vows to be a nazirite is obligated to grow his hair, is practiced in all places and at all times by males and females. As even though they, may their memory be blessed, taught us (Nazir 19b) that being a nazirite is only practiced in the Land of Israel — meaning to say that every person must observe his days of his naziriteness that he vowed in the Land of Israel, and that only the days that he is a nazirite there count in his tally — [still], all of the stringencies of being a nazirite are upon him outside of [Israel] as well. Therefore, if one made a nazirite vow at this time, behold, he is a nazirite forever. As now, on account of our afflictions, we have no [Temple in order] to offer the sacrifices at the end of the period of being a nazirite. They, may their memory be blessed, also said that if we have the ability, we coerce the nazirite to go to [Israel] and to fulfill his nazirite vow there until he dies or until the Temple is rebuilt and he can repay his sacrifices.
מִצְוַת גִּדּוּל שְׂעַר נָזִיר – שֶׁנִּצְטַוָּה הַנָּזִיר וְהוּא הָאָדָם שֶׁהִפְרִישׁ עַצְמוֹ מִן הַיַּיִן, לְגַדֵּל שְׂעַר רֹאשׁוֹ כָּל יְמֵי הַזִּירוֹ לְהַשֵּׁם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ו ה) גַּדֵּל פֶּרַע שְׂעַר רֹאשׁוֹ. וּלְשׁוֹן מְכִילְתָּא (ספרי זוטא כאן) גַּדֵּל פֶּרַע מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה, וּמִנַּיִן בְּלֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר תַּעַר לֹא יַעֲבֹר עַל רֹאשׁוֹ.
The commandment of growing the hair of the nazirite: That the nazirite — who is the person who separated himself from wine — is commanded to let his head hair grow for all the days of his naziriteness for God, as it states (Numbers 6:5), “he shall grow the locks of his head.” And the language of Mekhilta (Sifra Zuta on Numbers 6:5) is “‘He shall grow the hair’ is a positive commandment. From where [do I know there is also a] negative commandment? Hence, it teaches to say ‘a blade shall not pass over his head.’”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. הַקְדָּמָה כְּבָר כָּתַבְתִּי בִּפְתִיחַת הַסֵּפֶר בַּהַקְדָּמָה כִּי בִּהְיוֹת בְּעוֹלָמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּרִיָּה מְשֻׁתֶּפֶת מֵחֹמֶר וְשֵׂכֶל, וְזֶהוּ הָאָדָם, הָיָה דָּבָר רָאוּי וּמְחֻיָּב כְּדֵי לִהְיוֹת קִלּוּסוֹ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹלֶה יָפֶה מִבִּרְיוֹתָיו, שֶׁעִם בְּרִיָּה זוֹ לֹא יֶחְסַר מֵעוֹלָמוֹ כָּל הָאֶפְשָׁרוּת שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּדַעְתֵּנוּ לְהַשִּׂיג וכו', כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי שָׁם. וְאֵין סָפֵק, כִּי לוּלֵא מִן הַטַּעַם הַזֶּה שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב שִׂכְלֵנוּ לִשְׁכֹּן בְּתוֹךְ הַחֹמֶר בַּעַל הַתַּאֲווֹת וְהַחֲטָאִים רָאוּי הָיָה שִׂכְלֵנוּ לַעֲמֹד לְשָׁרֵת לִפְנֵי בּוֹרְאוֹ וּלְהַכִּיר כְּבוֹדוֹ כְּאֶחָד מִבְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים הַנִּצָּבִים עָלָיו, וְאָמְנָם מִפְּנֵי הַחִיּוּב הַזֶּה נִשְׁתַּעְבֵּד לִשְׁכֹּן בָּתֵּי חֹמֶר, וְאַחַר שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּעְבֵּד לָזֶה מֻכְרָח עַל כָּל פָּנִים לִנְטוֹת מֵעֲבוֹדַת בּוֹרְאוֹ לִפְעָמִים וּלְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל בְּצָרְכֵי הַבַּיִת אֲשֶׁר יָדוּר שָׁם, כִּי לֹא יִתְקַיֵּם בִּנְיַן הַבַּיִת עֵצָיו וַאֲבָנָיו וִיסוֹדוֹתָיו, מִבִּלְתִּי שֶׁיַּשְׁגִּיחַ הָאָדָם עָלָיו. וְאִם כֵּן אַחֲרֵי הֱיוֹת כַּוָּנַת הָאָדָם בִּיצִירָתוֹ עַל מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְנוּ, בְּכָל עֵת שֶׁיּוּכַל שִׂכְלוֹ לְמַעֵט בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַחֹמֶר וְיָשִׂים מְגַמָּתוֹ לַעֲבוֹדַת קוֹנוֹ אָז טוֹב לוֹ, וּבִלְבַד שֶׁלֹּא יִטּוֹשׁ מְלֶאכֶת הַבַּיִת לְגַמְרֵי וְיַחְרִיבֵהוּ, כִּי גַּם זֶה יֵחָשֵׁב לוֹ עָוֹן אַחַר שֶׁהַמֶּלֶךְ חָפֵץ לִהְיוֹת לוֹ בְּרִיָּה כָּזוֹ, וְכִדְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסִי בְּמַסֶּכֶת תַּעֲנִית פֶּרֶק שְׁלִישִׁי (כב, ב) שֶׁאֵין הַיָּחִיד רַשַּׁאי לְסַגֵּף עַצְמוֹ בְּתַעֲנִית, וּפָרֵישׁ רַב יְהוּדָה בְּשֵׁם רַב טַעְמֵהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי מִשּׁוּם דִּכְתִיב (בראשית, ב ז), וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה, אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה נְשָׁמָה שֶׁנָּתַתִּי בְּךָ הַחְיֵה, וְעַל זֶה אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ הֶחָכָם (קהלת ז טז) אַל תְּהִי צַדִּיק הַרְבֵּה וְאַל תִּתְחַכַּם יוֹתֵר לָמָּה תִּשּׁוֹמֵם. וְזוֹ הִיא קְדֻשַּׁת הַנָּזִיר וּמַעֲלָתוֹ בְּהַנִּיחוֹ מְלֶאכֶת הַחֹמֶר וְיִשְׁבֹּר תַּאֲווֹתָיו בַּמֶּה שֶׁאֵינוֹ חֻרְבַּן גָּמוּר אֶל הַבַּיִת, כְּגוֹן מְנִיעַת שְׁתִיַּת הַיַּיִן וְגִדּוּל הַשֵּׂעָר, כִּי בָּזֶה יִכָּנַע הַיֵּצֶר וְלֹא יִדְלֹף הַבַּיִת בַּעֲבוּרוֹ וְלֹא יֵהָרְסוּ פִּנּוֹתָיו, אֲבָל תִּתְחַזֵּק בּוֹ עֲבוֹדַת הַשֵּׂכֶל וְיֵאוֹרוּ מַהֲלָכָיו וּכְבוֹד ה' תִּשְׁכֹּן עָלָיו, וְיִתְקַיֵּם בָּאִישׁ הַזֶּה כַּוָּנַת הַבְּרִיאָה מִבְּלִי הִתְמַעֵט עֲבוֹדַת שִׂכְלוֹ אֶל בּוֹרְאוֹ מִפְּנֵי שִׁתּוּף הַחֹמֶר שֶׁבּוֹ. וְהָרְאָיָה שֶׁעִנְיַן גִּדּוּל הַשֵּׂעָר הוּא כְּמוֹ כֵן מִפְּנֵי הַכְנָעַת הַיֵּצֶר כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ, מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בְּנָזִיר רֵישׁ פֶּרֶק קַמָּא (ד, ב) אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן הַצַּדִּיק מִיָּמַי לֹא אָכַלְתִּי אֲשַׁם נָזִיר טָמֵא, אֶלָּא פַּעַם אַחַת בָּא אָדָם אֶחָד לְפָנַי מִן הַדָּרוֹם, רְאִיתִיו יְפֵה עֵינַיִם וְטוֹב רֹאִי וּקְוֻצּוֹתָיו סְדוּרוֹת לוֹ תַּלְתַּלִּים, אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ מָה רָאִיתָ לְהַשְׁחִית שְׂעָרְךָ זֶה [הַנָּאֶה]? אָמַר לִי רוֹעֶה הָיִיתִי לְאַבָּא בְּעִירִי, וְהָלַכְתִּי לְמַלֹּאת מַיִם מִן הַמַּעְיָן וְנִסְתַּכַּלְתִּי בַּבָּבוּאָה שֶׁלִּי, וּפָחַז יִצְרִי עָלַי וּבִקֵּשׁ לְטָרְדֵנִי מִן הָעוֹלָם, אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ רָשָׁע לָמָּה אַתָּה מִתְגָּאֶה בְּעוֹלָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁלְּךָ, בְּמִי שֶׁהוּא עָתִיד לִהְיוֹת רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה? הָעֲבוֹדָה שֶׁאֲגַלַּחֲךָ לַשָּׁמַיִם, מִיָּד, עָמַדְתִּי וּנְשַׁקְתִּיו עַל רֹאשׁוֹ וְאָמַרְתִּי לוֹ בְּנִי, כְּמוֹתְךָ יִרְבּוּ נוֹדְרֵי נְזִירוּת, עָלֶיךָ הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר (במדבר, ו ב) אִישׁ כִּי יַפְלִא לִנְדֹּר נֶדֶר נָזִיר לְהַזִּיר לַיְיָ. וְעַל כֵּן, כְּדֵי לְהַכְנִיעַ הַיֵּצֶר, גַּם כֵּן נִצְטַוָּה לְגַלֵּחַ כָּל שְׂעָרוֹ בִּמְלֹאות יְמֵי נִזְרוֹ וְלֹא הֻרְשָׁה לְתַקֵּן אוֹתָם וְלִטֹּל מֵהֶם קְצָת, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יָשׁוּב יִצְרוֹ עָלָיו כַּאֲשֶׁר בַּתְּחִלָּה, אֲבָל נִתְחַיֵּב לְגַלְּחָם מִכֹּל וָכֹל כִּי אֵין סָפֵק שֶׁהַשֵּׂעָר הַגָּדוֹל בְּיוֹתֵר אוֹ הַגִּלּוּחַ הַגָּמוּר יַפְסִיד תֹּאַר הָאָדָם.
From the root of the commandment, I have already written an introduction at the beginning of the book that there being something in the world of the Holy One, blessed be He, that combines physicality and intellect — and that is Man — was something fitting and necessary for His praise, blessed be He, to come up properly from His creatures; that with this creature, there would not be lacking any possibilities, which we have in our minds to grasp, from His world, etc., as I wrote there. And there is no doubt that without this reason that obligates our intellect to dwell within the physical, [which is involved with] desire and sin, it would have been fitting for our intellect to stand and serve in front of our Creator and to recognize His honor like one of the “sons of God” that are stationed with Him. However, because of this obligation, it is subjugated to live in physical houses. And since it is subjugated to this, it must occasionally veer from the service of its Creator to tend to the needs of its home where it lives. For a home’s structure and its lumber and its stones cannot stand without a person minding it. If so, as the intention of man’s creation was according to what we have said, whenever the intellect can minimize physical work and focus on the service of its Master, that is good for it; so long as it does not completely ignore the work of the house and destroy it. As this would also be considered a sin for him, as the King wished to have a creature like this. It is like the saying of Rabbi Yose (Taanit 22b), that a person may not afflict himself on a fast day, which Rav Yehudah explained in the name of Rav as stemming from the verse “and man was a living thing” (Genesis 2:7), [which implies that the soul should be allowed to live]. On the [same basis] the wise king stated (Ecclesiastes 7:15), “Do not be overly righteous; do not be overly wise. Why should you be desolate?” And this is the holiness of the nazirite and his loftiness, as he departs from the physical. [About this] Shimon the Righteous said (Nazir 4b), “In all my days [as a priest], I never ate the guilt-offering of an impure nazirite, apart from one man who came to me from the South, who had beautiful eyes and a fine countenance, and his locks were arranged in curls. I said to him, ‘My son, what did you see to destroy this [beautiful] hair?’ He said to me, ‘I was a shepherd for my father in my town, and I went to draw water from the spring, and I looked at my reflection. And my evil inclination quickly rose against me and sought to drive me from the world. I said to my evil inclination, “Wicked one! For what reason are you proud in a world that is not yours, about one who in the future will be maggots and worms. [I swear by] the Temple service that I will shave you for the [sake of] Heaven.’ Immediately, I arose and kissed him on his head, and said to him, ‘My son, may there be more nazirites like you in Israel. With regard to you the verse states (Numbers 6:2), “When either a man or a woman shall clearly utter a vow, the vow of a nazirite, to consecrate himself to the Lord.”’” Therefore, in order to suppress the [evil] inclination, he is commanded to shave his head at the end of the days of his [term]. And he is not permitted to fix it up and to take a little of them, so that his [evil] impulse does not come back against him as [it did] at first. Rather, he has become obligated to shave it all, for there is no doubt that both very long hair and completely shaven heads destroy the appearance of a person.
וְאַל תִּתְפְּשֵׂנִי בְּטַעַם זֶה שֶׁכָּתַבְתִּי מִמָּה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם יט, א) יָבִיא כַּפָּרָה עַל עַצְמוֹ עַל שֶׁצִּעֵר עַצְמוֹ מִן הַיַּיִן, כִּי גַּם זֶה יִתָּכֵן עַל טַעְמֵנוּ, כִּי אַחַר שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי שֶׁאֵין רְשׁוּת נְתוּנָה לָאָדָם לְהַשְׁחִית בֵּיתוֹ וּלְקַלְקֵל דָּבָר בַּבִּנְיָן אֲשֶׁר בָּנָה הַבּוֹנֶה הָרִאשׁוֹן רָאוּי לוֹ לְהָבִיא כַּפָּרָה עַל נַפְשׁוֹ, כִּי אוּלַי נָטָה מִן הַגָּדֵר הַמְּחֻיָּב עָלָיו בְּעִנְיַן גּוּפוֹ וְנִשְׁמָתוֹ, כִּי שֶׁמָּא טִבְעוֹ וּבִנְיָנוֹ נָכוֹן עַל צַד שֶׁהַנְּזִירוּת עִנּוּי יוֹתֵר מִדַּאי עַל נַפְשׁוֹ, וְכָל דַּרְכֵי הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ יְשָׁרִים, וְצַדִּיקִים יֵלְכוּ בָּם. וְהָרַמְבַּ"ן זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה כָּתַב בְּפֵרוּשָׁיו (במדבר ו יא) עַל דֶּרֶךְ הַפְּשָׁט בְּטַעַם הַחַטָּאת שֶׁמֵּבִיא הַנָּזִיר לְכַפָּרָה, כִּי הָעִנְיָן הוּא שֶׁצָּרִיךְ כַּפָּרָה בְּשׁוּבוֹ לְהִטַּמֵּא בְּתַאֲווֹת הָעוֹלָם דְּמִכֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיְתָה עָלָיו רוּחַ הַשֵּׁם וְהִתְחִיל לִהְיוֹת נָזִיר לַה' רָאוּי הָיָה לַעֲמֹד כֵּן כָּל יָמָיו, וְשִׁבְעִים פָּנִים יֵשׁ לַתּוֹרָה.
And do not wrangle [with] me from what they, may their memory be blessed, said (Nazir 19a), “He must bring an atonement offering for himself, for he pained himself by avoiding wine.” For this also works with our explanation. Since I have already said that a person does not have the right to destroy his house and to wreck anything of the building that was built by the First Builder, it is fitting for him to bring atonement for his soul. For perhaps he has overstepped the boundary that obligates him with regard to his body and his soul. As perhaps being a nazirite is overly afflicting to his soul according to his nature and constitution. And all “the ways of God, may He be blessed, are righteous and the just follow them.” And Ramban, may his memory be blessed, wrote in his commentary (Ramban on Numbers 6:11) according to the simple understanding that the reason of the sin-offering that the nazirite brings for atonement [is] that he requires atonement for returning to become impure with the desires of the world. As once this person had had a “spirit of God” upon him and began to become a nazirite to God, it would have been fit to stay that way for his whole life. And there are seventy faces to the Torah.
מִדִּינֵי הַמִּצְוָה. מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם לט, א) שֶׁאִם נִתְגַּלַּח הַנָּזִיר בֵּין בְּזָדוֹן בֵּין בִּשְׁגָגָה וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּאֹנֶס, הֲרֵי זֶה סוֹתֵר מִנְיָנוֹ וּמַתְחִיל לִמְנוֹת שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם, דְּקַיְמָא לַן (שם ה א) סְתָם נְזִירוּת שְׁלֹשִׁים יוֹם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ פֶּרַע, וּבַמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים (רמב"ם נזירות ו א) כְּשֶׁנִּתְגַּלַּח בְּרֹב רֹאשׁוֹ בֵּין בְּתַעַר בֵּין בְּמִין תַּעַר וְלֹא נִשְׁאַר כְּדֵי לָכֹף רֹאשָׁן לְעִקָּרָן, אֲבָל גִּלַּח מִעוּט שְׂעַר רֹאשׁוֹ אֵינוֹ סוֹתֵר מִנְיָנוֹ מִפְּנֵי כֵן, וּכְמוֹ כֵן אֵינוֹ סוֹתֵר מִנְיָנוֹ מִפְּנֵי שְׁתִיַּת הַיַּיִן וַאֲפִלּוּ שָׁתָה מִמֶּנּוּ יָמִים רַבִּים, אֲבָל סוֹתֵר הוּא מִנְיָנוֹ מִפְּנֵי הַטֻּמְאָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁמְּפֹרָשׁ בַּכָּתוּב.
From the laws of the commandment is that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Nazir 39a) that if the nazirite shaves — whether volitionally or accidentally, or even under duress — behold, this interrupts his count, and he begins to count [another] thirty days; as we hold that a standard nazirite period is thirty days (Nazir 5a), so that he will have a lock. To what do these words apply? If the majority of his head was shaved with a blade or something like a blade, and there is not enough to fold their tops over to their roots from that which remains of [what was shaved]. But if he only shaved the minority of the hair on his head, he does not interrupt his count for this. And so too, he does not interrupt his count by drinking wine, even if he drank [it] for several days. But he does interrupt his number by impurity, as the verse explains.
וּמָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה גַּם כֵּן בְּעִנְיַן נְזִירוּת, דְּכָל כִּנּוּיֵי נְזִירוּת כִּנְזִירוּת, כְּלוֹמַר, מִי שֶׁהָיָה עִלֵּג אוֹ מְקוֹמוֹת שֶׁהַכֹּל עִלְּגִין וְדַרְכָּן לוֹמַר בִּמְקוֹם נָזִיר, נָזִיק אוֹ נָזִיחַ אוֹ פָּזִיחַ, וְאָמַר אֶחָד מִלְּשׁוֹנוֹת אֵלּוּ עַל עַצְמוֹ, כְּגוֹן שֶׁאָמַר אֱהֶא נָזִיק אוֹ נָזִיחַ אוֹ פָּזִיחַ הֲרֵי זֶה נָזִיר, שֶׁאֵין אוֹמְרִים בִּנְזִירוּת שֶׁיִּהְיוּ דִּבְרֵי פִּיו בְּכִוּוּן כִּלְבָבוֹ כְּמוֹ בִּשְׁבוּעָה, אֶלָּא מִכֵּיוָן שֶׁבִּלְבָבוֹ לְהִנָּזֵר וְאָמַר דְּבָרִים שֶׁיֵּשׁ לְהָבִין בָּהֶן שֶׁיְּהֵא נָזִיר, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהֵן מִלּוֹת שֶׁאֵין עִנְיַן הַנְּזִירוּת מוּבָן מִתּוֹכָן יָפֶה הֲרֵי זֶה נָזִיר. וְכֵן מָה שֶׁאָמְרוּ שֶׁיְּדוֹת נְזִירוּת כִּנְזִירוּת, וּמָה הֵן הַיָּדוֹת? כְּגוֹן שֶׁאָמַר אֱהֶא וְהָיָה נָזִיר עוֹבֵר לְפָנָיו הֲרֵי זֶה נָזִיר. אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר אֱהֶא נָאֶה וְתָפַס בִּשְׂעָרוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה נָזִיר וְכֵן הָאוֹמֵר הֲרֵינִי נָזִיר מִן הַחַרְצַנִּים בִּלְבַד אוֹ מִן הַתִּגְלַחַת, אוֹ מִן הַטֻּמְאָה בִּלְבַד הֲרֵי זֶה נָזִיר גָּמוּר. וְהָאוֹמֵר הֲרֵינִי נָזִיר עַל מְנָת שֶׁאֶשְׁתֶּה יַיִן אוֹ אֶטָּמֵא לְמֵתִים אוֹ אֲגַלַּח הֲרֵי זֶה נָזִיר וְאָסוּר בְּכֻלָּם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִתְנָה עַל מַה שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה וּתְנָאוֹ בָּטֵל. וְנִשְׁאָלִים עַל הַנְּזִירוּת כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁנִּשְׁאָלִין עַל שְׁאָר הַנְּדָרִים. וְהָאָב מַדִּיר אֶת בְּנוֹ קָטָן עַד שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה וְיוֹם אֶחָד בְּנָזִיר, אֲבָל לֹא הָאֵם, וְדָבָר זֶה קַבָּלָה. וְהַגּוֹיִם אֵין לָהֶם נְזִירוּת, אֲבָל יֵשׁ נְזִירוּת בַּעֲבָדִים וּבְנָשִׁים. וְהַבַּעַל וְהָאָב מֵפֵר לָאִשָּׁה נֶדֶר נְזִירוּת כְּמוֹ שְׁאָר נְדָרִים, וְכֵן הָאָדוֹן אִם יִרְצֶה כּוֹפֶה לָעֶבֶד לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן וּלְהִטַּמֵּא [ה' נזירות פ"א].
[Also among the laws is] that which they, may their memory be blessed, said that all substitutes for the term of nazirite are effective — meaning to say, if a person had a speech impediment, or lived in a place where everyone has a speech impediment, and their way is instead of saying nazir, they say nazik, nazich or pazich and he said one of these expressions about himself, such that he said, “I will be a nazik, nazich or pazich,” behold, he is a nazirite. As we do not say that the words of his mouth must be identical to [what is in] his heart, as we do for oaths. Rather, once he has [decided] in his heart to become a nazirite and he says [something by which] it can be understood that [he wants] to be a nazirite — even though these are words that themselves do not [positively identify] him as a nazirite — behold, he is a nazirite. And so [too,] that which they said that [adjunct expressions are effective]; for example, where he says, “I shall be,” as a nazirite passes before him. Or if he says, “I will be beautiful” and holds his hair, behold, he is a nazirite. And so, one who says, “I will be a nazirite from grape seeds only,” or “shaving, or impurity only,” behold, he is a complete nazirite. And one who says, “I will be a nazirite on the condition that I will drink wine,” or “become impure,” or “shave,” behold, he is a nazirite, and all [the prohibitions of a nazirite] are prohibited to him; because [in the case of] one who makes a condition which violates the laws of the Torah, the condition is cancelled. One may request [annulment] on a nazirite vow in the same way that one requests on other vows. A father may make a nazirite oath for his son up until age thirteen, but the mother may not, and this thing is a tradition. Gentiles are not subject to [becoming a] nazirite, though women and slaves are. A husband or father may annul the nazirite vow of his wife or daughter like other vows, as may a master force his slave to drink wine or become impure. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Naziriteship 1.)
וְנוֹהֶגֶת מִצְוָה זוֹ, שֶׁחַיָּב בְּגִדּוּל הַשֵּׂעָר כָּל מִי שֶׁנָּדַר בְּנָזִיר בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת. שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלִּמְּדוּנוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שם יט, ב) שֶׁהַנְּזִירוּת נוֹהֶגֶת בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּלוֹמַר, שֶׁחַיָּב כָּל אָדָם לִהְיוֹת נוֹהֵג נְזִירוּתוֹ בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמִנְיַן הַיָּמִים שֶׁנָּדַר, וְשֶׁאֵין עוֹלִין לוֹ הַיָּמִים לִימֵי נֶדֶר נִזְרוֹ אֶלָּא שָׁם, בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ גַּם כֵּן כָּל דִּקְדּוּקֵי נְזִירוּת עָלָיו, לְפִיכָךְ מִי שֶׁנָּדַר בְּנָזִיר בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה הֲרֵי זֶה נָזִיר לְעוֹלָם, לְפִי שֶׁעַכְשָׁו בַּעֲוֹנוֹת אֵין לָנוּ בַּיִת כְּדֵי שֶׁיָּבִיא קָרְבְּנוֹתָיו בִּמְלֹאת יְמֵי נִזְרוֹ. וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (רמב"ם נזירות ב כא), שֶׁכּוֹפִין אוֹתוֹ אִם יֵשׁ בָּנוּ כֹּחַ לְכוּפוֹ לַעֲלוֹת לָאָרֶץ וְלִנְהֹג נְזִירוּתוֹ שָׁם עַד שֶׁיָּמוּת אוֹ עַד שֶׁיִּבָּנֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְיַשְׁלִים קָרְבְּנוֹתָיו.
This commandment, that anyone who vows to be a nazirite is obligated to grow his hair, is practiced in all places and at all times by males and females. As even though they, may their memory be blessed, taught us (Nazir 19b) that being a nazirite is only practiced in the Land of Israel — meaning to say that every person must observe his days of his naziriteness that he vowed in the Land of Israel, and that only the days that he is a nazirite there count in his tally — [still], all of the stringencies of being a nazirite are upon him outside of [Israel] as well. Therefore, if one made a nazirite vow at this time, behold, he is a nazirite forever. As now, on account of our afflictions, we have no [Temple in order] to offer the sacrifices at the end of the period of being a nazirite. They, may their memory be blessed, also said that if we have the ability, we coerce the nazirite to go to [Israel] and to fulfill his nazirite vow there until he dies or until the Temple is rebuilt and he can repay his sacrifices.